Find Me Where the Willows Wave
by a Cat With a Balloon
Summary: Mother was right, as she looked up at the leaves, riding along the gentle breeze the morning brought. They looked stunning, soft green dappled with gold. The willows swayed with rhythm, almost as if they were waving at her from above. Spottedkit raised a small paw, and moved it along with the willow leaves, waving back. -HIATUS for the moment! Sorry guys!-


**Hi! Welcome to my new story! This is my first Warriors fic so...ya. Anyway, enjoy! Constructive criticism is always welcome. Oh, and a side note, this is going to be more of a sweet story, so sorry if you don't like that, or if there isn't enough action for you. It will still be interesting, however. And there will be A LOT more action in my other works of writing. Oh, and I'm changing things up, previous readers from before. Chapter 1 will be re-written, and posted along with chapter 2.**

**Thank you and, to the story! **

* * *

** Prologue**

**...**

**...**

* * *

The wind blew, rustling the leaves as they parted. A small figure darted through the bush, out into the grassy clearing below the trees.

"Woah," the small kit breathed, staring up in awe at the forest. The kit watched, as the birds sang their early morning song, music to the small kit's ears. The sun shone faintly on the horizon, the sky colored with the soft pink and yellow of dawn. A gentle light bathed the forest in gold, almost caressing the trees and flowers.

The small kit walked forward, purring as the forest's light breeze blew through her kittensoft fur. She sighed, she wouldn't be an apprentice for another three moons.

She padded slowly around, enjoying the feeling of the dewy grass beneath her paws. Her ears flicked every now and then, as she listened to the soft sounds of the forest. This was her first time out of camp, she'd always wanted to see what it was like, and she intended to make every second of it worth something. As she was bound to get in trouble, but that didn't bother her a lot.

_I'll get to do this more as an apprentice,_ she thought, as she gazed around the small clearing. She wasn't all that excited about being an apprentice, but it meant more freedom, and that was all little Spottedkit wanted.

The other kits, however, were overjoyed at the thought of being another cat's student, having to do whatever they please when they ask. That was one thing Spottedkit didn't like, and she rolled her eyes just thinking about it. _I have enough rules as it is._

Spottedkit remembered what her mother told her about this place, about how her parents met here. About how she was born here.

She could pick out the exact spot where her mother had been lying on her side, heaving and gasping as Spottedkit was born. Strange that, as young as Spottedkit was, she'd remember this place. But she did, she could find it with her eyes closed while running backwards. The small kit laughed at the thought.

Padding over, she curled up beside the tree, the smooth bark feeling more like home than her own camp did. _Strange._

Of course, she didn't know where her home was yet. To most, home is simply the place you go to eat or rest. To Spottedkit, home was much more than that.

_Home isn't a place, _she recalled her father's loving voice saying to her once. _Home is comfort, where we find love, and our truest happiness deep inside. My home is with your mother and you, and nothing will ever change that, _he went on. _You'll find your home someday._

The small kit rolled over, laying on her back against the sun-warmed roots, staring up at the world above. Everything was so serene, peaceful. As if she'd never seen bloodied cats stalk off to Honeypool's den, or elders prepare the dead for burial.

Her mother always tried to be gentle, letting her know as subtly as she could. Spottedkit learned that at one moon old, when she'd asked why the cat was sleeping in the clearing. Her mother replied, always in a sad, soft whisper. _They're sleeping with StarClan, honey. _Spottedkit never knew what that meant, until she realized that the cat was never going to wake up. That question came often from young kits, who knew about as much of the hard world they live in as a mouse knows what StarClan is. She always replied with her mother's old saying, one that the small, innocent kits would understand for about a quarter moon before they learned the hard truth.

Spottedkit wished that the world didn't have to be like this. Then again, what could she even do about it? She was just over five moons, not even out of the nursery yet. It was just a wish, an empty prayer to StarClan, that would remain without answers until the day she joined their ranks herself.

_The world will get better one day, _she thought to herself, staring up at the sky, now clear and blue, the sun shining from it's perch on the clouds. She'd been gone all morning, she knew they'd be coming soon. _I just had to see this._

_They always look so beautiful in the sun, their leaves swaying in the soft breeze, _mother had told her. _You'll see it soon enough. _

Mother was right, as she looked up at the leaves, riding along the gentle breeze the morning brought. They looked stunning, soft green dappled with gold. The willows swayed with rhythm, almost as if they were waving at her from above. Spottedkit raised a small paw, and moved it along with the willow leaves, waving back.

That's when she heard the voices, the pounding foot steps that ruined the peaceful mood the small clearing brought with it. They found her.

"She's over here Foxtail!" someone shouted, several fox-lengths away. They would be here in a matter of heartbeats. Spottedkit rolled her eyes, sitting up in front of the tree. She licked one paw and drew it over her ear, one by one, grooming herself in the early morning light.

As predicted, almost five heartbeats later, a group of cats burst into the clearing, all looking panic-stricken. Spottedkit twitched her whiskers. _Great StarClan, I've only been out of camp once._

"Spottedkit!" her father, the head of the patrol exclaimed. She looked up, pausing her grooming to meet his gaze. Spottedkit lowered her paw. _He looks really mad…_

She didn't have time to process what was happening until she felt his jaws wrap around her scruff, and she was lifted from the ground. She hissed quietly, missing the feeling of the cool grass beneath her pads.

Her eyes cautiously scanned the group, looking around for familiar faces. Spottedkit nearly jumped out of her fur when she saw that Sparrowstar was among them.

Spottedkit let her tail droop, swinging as they walked back to camp. As she looked around the forest, she realized that none of it looked as magnificent as the small clearing she'd been in just moments before.

_I like it there, _she thought as they neared the hollow entrance. She knew she'd be in serious trouble. The blazing ferocity in Foxtail's eyes proved that. She'd never seen him that angry before. She wondered briefly if Foxtail was this upset, then Swiftshadow would be furious. Only very few times had Spottedkit ever been afraid of her mother, and this was sure to be one of those times.

But looking back on her adventure, she thought that it was worth it. And it truly was. The stories that mother had told her in the nursery exceeded Spottedkit's expectations.

"I'll go there again one day," she whispered to herself. "To the place where the willows wave."

* * *

_**Allegiances**_

_THUNDERCLAN_

_Leader- _Sparrowstar (large dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes)

_Deputy- _Foxtail (dark ginger tom with green eyes)

Apprentice-Dovepaw

_Medicine cat- _Honeypool (pretty golden tabby she-cat)

_Warriors-_

Snakefur (brown tabby tom)

Snowflower (white she-cat with green eyes)

Ashclaw (dark grey tom with blue eyes)

Stonefang (large grey tabby tom)

Dewberry (small pale grey she-cat with blue eyes)

Firestorm (dark ginger tom with green eyes)

Thornwhisker (pale ginger tom)

Apprentice-Cloudpaw

Heatherfrost (pale ginger she-cat with blue eyes)

Ivyleaf (silver and white tabby she-cat with black patches and green eyes)

Sootwhisker (dark grey tom)

Speckleberry (white she-cat with grey patches and green eyes)

Darktail (large white tom with a black tail and paws with amber eyes)

Dawncloud (cream colored she-cat)

Apprentice-Cedarpaw

Russetfoot (dark ginger tom with amber eyes)

_Apprentices-_

Cloudpaw (silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes)

Dovepaw (fluffy white she-cat with green eyes)

Cedarpaw (brown tabby tom with blue eyes)

_Queens-_

Softwing (white she-cat with amber eyes) mother to Stonefang's kits: Briarkit (dark brown and cream she-cat with cream paws and amber eyes) Whitekit (white she-cat with amber eyes)

Swiftshadow (pretty light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and chest and icy blue eyes) mother to Foxtail's kit: Spottedkit (silver she-cat with gray dappled pelt, white paws, one white ear and icy blue eyes) adopted mother to Duskkit (sleek black tom with green eyes) and Featherkit (silver tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Willowheart (pale grey she-cat with a white underbelly and green eyes) expecting Ashclaw's kits

_Elders-_

Whiskertail (frail ginger tom; oldest cat in ThunderClan)

Ferntail (light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes)

Hawkscar (large dark brown tabby tom with a long scar across his back)

_SHADOWCLAN_

_Leader- _Lightstar (brown tabby she-cat with green eyes)

_Deputy- _Coldfur (large white tom)

_Medicine cat- _Brackenstripe (golden tabby tom)

Apprentice- Hollycloud

_Warriors-_

Thorntail (dark brown tabby tom with green eyes)

Blackwillow (black she-cat)

Flamefeather (dark ginger tom)

Apprentice-Eaglepaw

Sedgeheart (blue eyed light brown tabby she-cat)

Nettlefur (brown tabby tom)

Apprentice- Leafpaw

Thrushflight (small light brown tabby she-cat)

Badgerclaw (large dark brown tom with a long black stripe along his spine)

Lionleap (golden tabby tom)

Spiderclaw (lanky black tom with green eyes)

Petalfrost (pale grey she-cat with warm blue eyes)

Longfang (large black tom with a jagged tooth)

Moondapple (spotted grey she-cat with dark blue eyes)

Stonelight (dark grey tom with white patches)

Apprentice- Blackpaw

_Apprentices-_

Hollycloud (small black she-cat with green eyes)

Leafpaw (small light brown she-cat with amber eyes)

Blackpaw (jet black tom with amber eyes)

Eaglepaw (dark brown and white tabby tom)

_Queens-_

Snowtail (small white she-cat) mother to Lionleap's kits: Crowkit (black tom) Sunkit (golden tabby tom) Icekit (white she-cat)

_Elders_-

Paletalon (pale grey and white tom)

Mousenose (small black and white she-cat)

_WINDCLAN_

_Leader- _Greystar (dark grey tabby tom with amber eyes)

_Deputy_- Oakwhisker (large brown tom)

_Medicine cat-_ Feathersong (small silver she-cat_)_

_Warriors-_

Larkfeather (long legged black tom with amber eyes)

Goldenheart (golden tabby she-cat with warm blue eyes)

Wolfclaw (large grey tom with long fur and green eyes)

Apprentice- Bramblepaw

Mapleheart (tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes)

Blossomfur (pale grey she-cat with blue eyes)

Apprentice- Mothpaw

Thornpelt (dark brown tom)

Smallfeather (small pale grey she-cat with green eyes)

Flamefur (dark ginger tom with white paws)

Mosswillow (silvery tabby she-cat)

Apprentice-Applepaw

Rocktail (grey tom with stub tail)

Birchtalon (dark brown tabby tom)

Hazelfrost (small grey she-cat with white paws)

Redfur (reddish brown tabby tom)

Echopool (pretty silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes)

Blazeheart (large grey tabby tom with amber eyes)

_Apprentices-_

Bramblepaw (dark brown tabby tom with green eyes)

Mothpaw (small pale ginger she-cat)

Applepaw (small mottled creamy brown she-cat)

_Queens-_

Poppyfern (ginger she-cat with white paws and blue eyes) expecting Blazeheart's kits

_Elders-_

Berryfoot (cream colored she-cat)

Harefur (small grey tom)

_RIVERCLAN_

_Leader- _Reedstar (sleek black tom)

Apprentice- Darkpaw

_Deputy- _Fawndapple (light brown she-cat with green eyes)

_Medicine cat- _Pebblefall (small grey she-cat)

Apprentice- Mistypaw

_Warriors-_

Bouncetail (long furred grey tom)

Snowpool (white she-cat with blue eyes)

Apprentice- Morningpaw

Tallfang (long legged brown tom)

Apprentice- Specklepaw

Dustfur (shorthaired brown tom)

Brindlepelt (tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes)

Tigerstrike (large pale brown tabby with black stripes)

Dawnwhisper (pale grey she-cat with blue eyes)

Firetail (ginger tom with dark red stripes and amber eyes)

Runningflower (black and white she-cat with amber eyes)

Lilywhisker (light brown she-cat with white paws)

Sandclaw (large ginger tabby tom)

Brackentail (golden tabby tom with green eyes)

Sunstripe (golden tabby tom with amber eyes)

Stormshine (grey and black tabby she-cat with one white paw and dark blue eyes)

_Apprentices-_

Mistypaw (silver she-cat with grey eyes)

Morningpaw (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Specklepaw (pale brown tom with darker flecks)

Darkpaw (dark grey tom with blue eyes)

_Queens-_

Brightwillow (pale ginger she-cat) mother to Bouncetail's kit: Gorsekit (grey tom with amber eyes)

Graysplash (dark grey tabby she-cat) mother to Reedstar's kits: Willowkit (pale grey she-cat with green eyes) Ravenkit (sleek black tom) Jaykit (grey tabby tom with amber eyes)

_Elders-_

Nightheart (black she-cat with green eyes)

Breezeclaw (black tom with amber eyes)

_CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS_

Dixie (fluffy silver she-cat)

Roader (lanky brown tom)

Blake (large black and white tom with green eyes)

Leven (small white she-cat with blue eyes) Mother to Roader's kits: Silver (small silver she-cat with large blue eyes) Holly (cream she-cat with dark legs, ears, muzzle and tail with bright blue eyes) Blue (small silvery white she-cat with gray blue muzzle, legs, ears, and tail tip)

Owl (dark brown tom yellow eyes)

* * *

**Okay, hope that was alright! Review or Brokenstar will take your kits in the night! Lol, just review. (:**


End file.
